Violent conflict is not only worsening poverty but weakening households’ ability to recover over time, according to a new report.
Titled, ‘Insecurity, Livelihoods and Welfare in Northern Nigeria’, the research conducted over one year, shows three distinct categories of insecurity in Northern Nigeria.
They are 1) Boko Haram/ISWAP violence in the North East; 2) farmer-herder conflict in the North Central; and 3) banditry and kidnapping in the North West.
SPONSOR AD
–>
All three forms of violent conflict drive poverty through different pathways, undermining income, destroying assets, disrupting markets and deepening vulnerability in distinct ways.
–>
The findings were presented at a high-level webinar on Wednesday, 17 June, convened by the Chronic Poverty Advisory Network (CPAN) of the Institute of Development Studies, United Kingdom; the development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC); and the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) project supported by the FCDO.
The launch drew 72 participants, including University academics, representatives of civil society organisations, private sector representatives, the donor community, and high-level government officials including from NASSCO.
The webinar was opened by the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard M. Doro who also closed the session with reflections on the implications of the findings for the Ministry’s new policy of – One Humanitarian–One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS).
Presenting the findings, CPAN Deputy Director – Dr. Vidya Diwakar, explained that the study examined the two-way relationship between insecurity and household welfare, drawing on the Nigeria Living Standards Survey 2022/23, the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2024, Armed Conflict Location and Event Data from 2010 to 2025, and qualitative fieldwork studies conducted by the dRPC including 60 life history interviews, 12 focus group discussions, 15 key informant interviews and 20 Delphi-method crisis focus group discussions.
In the North East, Boko Haram/ISWAP violence had the largest and most consistent welfare effects of the three types of conflict, with households recording 8% to 14% lower expenditure per adult equivalent where events occurred in the two years before the survey, and conflict debt accumulated since 2009 linked to a further 8% to 13% loss. In the North Central, farmer-herder violence hit near-poor households hardest, with a 14% expenditure drop at the 60th percentile the largest single effect recorded; in the North West, banditry and kidnapping caused expenditure losses of 4% to 11%, concentrated among moderately poor households.
The study concluded with the hopeful, and actionable message: that livelihood diversification, including – farm, off-farm and enterprise income generation activities is the single most consistent protective factor across all three conflict types, building resilience and escape from chronic poverty.
ADVERT –>
UPDATE NEWS:
Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5 million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25 million . All earnings paid in US Dollars . Rather than wonder,
click here to find out how it works .
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};
googletag.cmd.push(function() {
googletag.defineSlot(‘/113471580/dailytrust.com_300_600_article_right’, [‘fluid’, [300, 600]], ‘div-gpt-ad-1669708905704-0’).addService(googletag.pubads());
googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest();
googletag.enableServices();
});
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};
googletag.cmd.push(function() {
googletag.defineSlot(‘/113471580/dailytrust_article_bottom’, [[640, 360], [468, 60], [400, 300], [728, 90], [300, 250]], ‘div-gpt-ad-1670932839695-0’).addService(googletag.pubads());
googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest();
googletag.enableServices();
});
This news development was originally reported by our media partner DailyTrust News .
